Holiday Cheer is Gearing Up

Today I just wanted to reflect on what a great holiday and weekend I had, and how blessed I am to live here in Marin. There were so many things going on, it was impossible to see them all, but I did get to see a lot of the fantastic holiday events that are starting and going on until Christmas or beyond.

St. Francis Sugar Tree

The Hospice by the Bay wrapping charity event was a success, I got to wrap quite a few presents and meet great people, so definitely a wonderful day helping others. I highly recommend volunteering for this organization, they do great work and your support really turns into helping those in need.

The Fairmont Hotel Christmas Tree

Also this weekend, I went into the city to see Union Square and enjoy all the beautiful decorations that are going up for Christmas. The tree is spectacular this year! And the St. Francis Sugar Tree is really a treat to see. It really does look too delicate and gorgeous to eat. After that we went to the Buena Vista Cafe, something I do every year to get in the Christmas Spirit, and had an Irish Coffee. It's my favorite treat to relax with!

Another stop that is really beautiful to see is the Fairmont Hotel's decadent displays over on California street. The main tree is breathtaking, and they've taken out all the stops in the lobby and outside of the hotel. They even have a Christmas list nook where the kids can write to Santa and put it in a mailbox, (that apparently has a very fast delivery time to the North Pole). Right behind it is one of the most elaborate gingerbread houses you'll ever see, you can even go inside it! It's 22 feet tall and 23 feet wide, with thousands of gingerbread bricks and over a ton of royal icing and other candy embellishments. They're famous for this beautiful and astounding edible display, and it took over 3 weeks to finish! The opening party on Saturday was a lot of fun, you can go to their website to see their upcoming events, of which they have quite a few planned throughout the month.




It was a great way to spend the weekend, and it's wonderful that it's so close to Marin. There are so many things for a family to go and do in San Francisco this holiday season, from seeing Santa at the Westfield Mall, or ice skating at the Safeway ice rink. Why not bring the kids and have a blast?

Happy Holidays,
~Kelly Cranmer Valadez